Storage receptacle



Oct. 14, 1930. E, TRA'UTMAN ET AL 1,778,236

STORAGE RECEPTACLE Filed Nov. 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Oct.14, 1930 .iJlaii'TED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST TRAUTMAN, OF LAKEWOOD,AND PAUL FETZGER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO STORAG E RECEPTAGLE Applicationfiled November 16, 1928. Serial No. 319,863.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive storage receptacle which shall have considerable rigidityand strength and which shall be moth and dust proof.

A secondary object is to provide a simple and light weight container forfabric and like material subject to being attacked by moths, whichcontainer may be rapidly and effectively sealed up and which may be usedagain and again without destroying or impairing the sealing means.Further objects will hereinafter appear.

There is considerable present market for moth proof containers, but themajority of the devices sold for this purpose are either too flimsy inconstruction to be certain in serviceability, or are too heavy and bulkyto be easily handled and stored. Hence, there is a. present requirementfor a comparatively strong light weight moth proof storage receptacle.Our invention answers this require ment, as will be presently shown.

We propose to employ, as a material for the receptacle, that known ascorrugated board, although, as a matter of fact, other materials may besubstituted, preferably loose cellular composition board of suitablethickness. We propose to construct the receptacle in such a way thatthere is a single closure member controlling all entrance to theinterior thereof. As illustrated, this overlies one or more otherclosure members and all the free edges of the controlling clo suremember are drawn down tightly onto the underlying members in such manneras to eifect an insect and dust proof seal. Such sealing preferablyincludes actually deforming the material of the controlling closuremember at spaced points'so that thewhole edge between these points iscompressed toward the underlying members.

Further features of the invention will be set forth in the followingdescription relating to the accompanying drawings wherein we show ourpreferred forms. The essential characteristics are summarized in theclaims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a-perspective view showing one form of ourreceptacle with all 59 the movable closure members in at least partiallyopened position; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one cornerof the re ceptacle adjacent the outer closure member and showing thisclosure member in sealed position; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary crosssectional detail, as indicated by the lines 33 on Fig. 2; Fig. 4; is adiagrai'nmat-ic view in the nature of a cross section through the topclosure member, the plane of the section being parallel to and near oneedge of this member; 60 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of oneend of the container, namely, that at the top when the container is instoring position, and showing suitable means for suspending theclothing; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken centrally of the sameend oi the container illustrated in Fig. 5; Fig. shows a modified methodfor sealing the container, and Fig. 8 shows still another modifiedmethod.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the receptacle body is preferably aone-piece member which may be folded and packed flat, as may theordinary corrugated or composition board packing containers. In Fig. 1,the numeral 1 designates the rear wall of the receptacle, 2 the endwalls and 3 the front wall. These walls may be made substantiallycontinuous by sealing the abutting edges at one corner with a piece oftape preferably fabric, designated 5. The underside of the receptacle,as illustrated, may be rendered imperforate in any suitable manner. Asin the usual container there may be downwardly underlapping extensionsof the end walls 2 (not shown) and abutting panels diagrammaticallyshown open at 7 and 8 forming the bottom-most wall members of thereceptacle.

The abutting edges of the bottom closure members 7 and 8 may be sealedby an elongated strip of adhesive fabric tape, one end of which is shownas slightly overlapping the end of the container at 19.

Continuing upwardly from the wall portions 2 of the container are endclosure panels 10 which fold inwardly to form part of the top closure.These may extend toward each other any desired distance, their primaryfunction being to support the edges of the adjacent overlying closurepanel 12, 109

in the container, the panels 10 are folded down onto the goods, thepanel 12is folded over onto the members 10, and the panel 14 then pulledforwardly and downwardly, the

bent or hinge portion wrapping closely about the rear edge of the panel12, into overlying contact with the panel 12. r a

The sealing means by which the closure member 14 is drawn tightly on allits free edges is subject to considerable modification. It should bequickly operable to seal and unseal the receptacle but it should be soarranged as to operate to effect a complete seal without danger ofrupturing the receptacle in any way. Further, the device used shouldnotproject to any considerable extent above the plane of the'board so as topunch holes in adjacent board when the receptacle is in foldedcondition, i. e. fiattened out for storage and shipping prior to use as'areceptacle. i

As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, we provide tab fasteners similar tothoseused on second class mailing envelopes and likedevices. As shown,there are a series of tabs designated 15 on'the top closure and-a series16 along the side and end walls 2 and 3. These tabs, may compriseperforated light fiber discs held onto the respective receptacle walland closure portions as bysplit flat headed rivets 17, the inner ends ofthe rivets being oppositely bent over, as shown to hold the discs inplace. If desired, in order to prevent access of dust at the holes madeby the rivets, the bent-over ends of the rivets may be covered either byindividual adhesive patches or longitudinally running adhesive stripsoverlying whole lines of rivet ends. Neither last mentioned device isillustrated.

Suitably attached to one set of closure tabs, preferably the set 15, arecords 19. The .cords are pulled down tightly onto the top closure member14, depressing the top surface of the panel 14 as at 14, Fig. 4, are

thenwrapped about the closure discs 16, then drawn up over the edge andfastened as by a portion of one complete wrap about the rivets'of thediscs'16. I

.In effecting the seal, it is desirable to cut back all free edges ofthe top panel14 of the closure so that none ofthese edges extend outover the adjacent edges of the receptacle. The preferred arrangement isillustrated, particularly in Fig. 2 wherein and bottom body layers 6 andZ) joined by the corrugated body layer 0. As two portions of the toplayer 6 are pulled down,as at 14 Fig. 4, the layer c is crushed to anextent depending on the pulling force. However, the majority of thecorrugations resist this crushing tendency and the intermediate zone ofthe whole top layer 6 is put in tension. The resulting downward force isdistributed along the contacting layer 5 to cause it to seal tightlyonto the member beneath it. In the case of material, such as looselycompacted composition board, substantially the same sealing forces areset up, due to the cellular structure between the top and bottom layersof board material, these lay-- ers having considerable tensile strength,particularly where the sides of such board are surface treated.

Suitable means for suspending clothing within the receptacle abovedescribed may comprise a strap-like member 20, see Figs. 5 and '6, whichis suitably attached-to one end .wall 2 as by a series of rivets 21, onerivet being shown as holding one of the discs 15, there being anysuitable number of loops between the rivets adapted. for supportingclothes hangers H. With the above described arrangement, a convenientnumber of suits or overcoats to fill a receptacle may be stored whilesupported on the hangers. Such garments are simply laid in place whilethe re ceptacle is in the position shown in Fig. 1, and afterward thereceptacle is upended to bring the looped hanger supports uppermost.Preferably the container is made about 8 in. deep, 4 ft. and 8 in.'longand about 22 in. wide, this being a convenient size for storagepurposes, while aifording sufficient bottom surface when stood on end,as just mentioned, to prevent the receptacle from tipping over readily.

A modified form of closure is shown in Fig.7 wherein the discs,designated 15 and 16, are not inregistration, that is to say, one overthe other, but are offset, and a single cord is used. This cord,designated 24 may be suitably attached at one end as on one of the,members 16, and drawn first over a disc 15, then under a disc 16 etc.until the entire closure seal is effected. Fig. 7 also illustrates theuse of reinforcing strips 25 of fabric adhesive material or the likewhich, due to its superior strength, as compared to paper, increases thesealing effect discussed with relation to Fig. 4.

A further modification is shown in Fig. 8 wherein it may be assumed thatall the free edges of the closure member 12 supports respective fabricstrips 26, these being glued or otherwise attached to the top surface 12and extending out beyond the top surface as at 27. The extensionportions of the strips are formed into tubes as at 28 and the tube isslit at various points as at 29. Extending within the tube is a cord 30,which may be drawn through the slits and hooked over fasteners, such as31, these being preferably metal clips thrust through and supported bythe vertical walls of the receptacle and held in place by adhesivepatches 38 within the receptacle. In effecting the sealing of thereceptacle with this arrangement the loops of the cord 30 aresuccessively tightened all around the edges of the closure 12 and theend of the cord then suitably secured as on a disc similar to thoseshown in Fig. 3 (not illustrated in Fig. 8).

We claim:

1. A storage receptacle comprising a container having substantiallyimperforate bottom and side Walls, a top wall comprising swingableclosure members, one overlapping another, and means to render thecontainer moth and dust proof including a top closure member contiguouswith one of said side walls and overlapping the underlying closuremembers, there being spaced means positioned along all free edges of thetop closure member, similarly spaced means on the side walls of thecontainer, and flexible tension devices connecting the aforesaid means,for drawing down such free edges of the top closure member throughouttheir entire length, into sealing relation to the underlying members.

2. A storage receptacle in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least oneof the free edges of the top closure member is set back from the planeof the outermost surface of the adjacent side Wall.

3. A storage receptacle comprising a container substantially closed atthe bottom and sides, the top wall comprising a raisable closure member,the material thereof including cellular compressible material embracedby top and bottom body layers, there being spaced means on the closuremember and adjacent container sides including flexible connectingmembers arranged to draw downwardly at spaced points at the edges of thetop layer to compress the directly underlying cellular material andplace the intermediate zone of the top layer in tension to therebyeffect a continuous sealing of the bottom layer therebeneath against thecontainer.

4. A storage receptacle comprising a container having substantiallyimperforate bottom and side Walls, extensions contiguous with the sidewalls and arranged to fold inwardly one over the other, a top closuremember, a set of spaced securing devices substantially uniformlydistributed along all the free edges of said member, there being acooperating set of securing devices on the side walls adjacent said freeedges, and cords connecting said sets of devices and arranged to drawsubstantially the entire length of the free edges of the top closuremember into sealing relation to the underlying closure members.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto affix our signatures.

ERNEST TRAUTMAN.

PAUL FETZGER.

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